Saturday, 13 April 2013

“Ah, there are
so many things betwixt heaven and earth of which only the poets have dreamed!” -
Friedrich Nietzsche

Art Sunday is
dedicated today to Giorgio de Chirico (1888-1978). De Chirico was born in Volos,
Greece into the family of an Italian railroad engineer. In the years before
World War I, he founded the scuola
metafisica art movement, which profoundly influenced the surrealists. After
1919, he became interested in traditional painting techniques, and worked in a
neoclassical or neo-Baroque style, while frequently revisiting the metaphysical
themes of his earlier work.

After studying
art in Athens (mainly under the guidance of the influential Greek painter
Georgios Roilos), and in Florence, De Chirico moved to Germany in 1906,
following his father’s death in 1905. He entered the Academy of Fine Arts in
Munich, where he read the writings of the philosophers Nietzsche, Arthur
Schopenhauer and Otto Weininger, and studied the works of Arnold Böcklin and
Max Klinger.

He returned to
Italy in the summer of 1909 and spent six months in Milan. At the beginning of
1910, he moved to Florence where he painted the first of his “Metaphysical Town
Square” series. In 1910, de Chirico moved to Paris where he made contact with
Picasso and befriended Guillaume Apollinaire (1880-1918), French poet and
leader of the avant-garde movement rejecting poetic traditions in outlook,
rhythm, and language. In Paris de Chirico began to produce highly troubling
dreamlike pictures of deserted cities, e.g. “The Great Tower”, “The Soothsayer’s
Recompense”, “Mystery and Melancholy of a Street”. These were paintings with an
incogruous combinations of images that carried a charge of mystery. The same
haunting shapes tend to appear again and again in poetic combinations.

In 1917 in the
Ferrara military hospital, de Chirico met a compatriot, also a painter, Carlo
Carrà (1881-1966), and together they founded the Metaphysical Painting movement.
Although the movement was short-lived, it was perhaps the most original and
important movement in Italian art of the 20th century, and the highest point in
de Chirico’s painting career. De Chirico’s metaphysical paintings were hugely
influential on Surrealist artists, who recognised in them the eloquent
expression of the unconscious and nonsensical to which they themselves aspired.
“In words and by example, Ernst, Tanguy,
Magritte, and Dali, among others, showed a rare unity in acknowledging de Chirico
as a forerunner master.” (in “Modern Art” by Sam Hunter et al. Harry
N. Abrams, Inc. 2000).

In 1918 de
Chirico and Carrà contributed to the periodical “Valori Plastici” which gave a literary aspect to Metaphysical
painting. By the 1930s, however, de Chirico had moved to a more conventional
form of expression. His great interest in archaeology and history took the form
of Neo-Baroque paintings full of horses, still-lives, and portraits. The
Surrealists, in particular, condemned his later work. In 1929 de Chirico wrote “Hebdomeros”, a dream novel; but in the
1930s, after he had returned to Italy, he renounced all his previous work and
reverted to an academic style, and to his study of the techniques of the old
masters. He published his autobiography “Memorie
della mia Vita” in 1945.

He remained
extremely prolific even as he approached his 90th year. In 1974 he was elected
to the French Académie des Beaux-Arts. He died in Rome on November 20, 1978. His
brother, Andrea de Chirico, who became famous as Alberto Savinio, was also a
writer and a painter.

The painting
above “L’ enigma dell’ arrivo e del
pomeriggio” (The Enigma of the Arrival and of the Afternoon) painted in
1911-1912 (oil on canvas, 70 x 86.5 cm in a private collection) is a typical de
Chirico work where enigmatic figures move in stage-set like backgrounds
reminiscent of a classical world. The yellow-green light and the other-worldly
atmosphere immediately causes disquiet and the viewer is transported to a dream
landscape where reality becomes irrelevant. The painting could be an
illustration of a scene from the Odyssey, de Chirico’s background and
influences well within this milieu.

Friday, 12 April 2013

2013 is the year
when the world celebrates the two-hundredth anniversary of the birth of
Giuseppe Verdi (1813–1901). Verdi’s critical fortunes waned and waxed even in
his lifetime, but since the days of Ernani
(1844) and Rigoletto (1851), his
works have aroused furore, delirious excitement, pathos and immense delight wherever
opera is performed.

Verdi was
perhaps a man of his tumultuous times and his music reflects this. He was born
in an era in which the only known means of terrestrial locomotion was the
horse-drawn carriage. When he died, a web of railways criss-crossed the Earth,
and Agnelli had founded FIAT two years earlier. Two years after Verdi’s death,
the Wright brothers made the first powered flight. When Verdi was born, candles
and oil lamps were the only known means of illumination. When he died, the use
of gaslight was widespread. Verdi was born in a divided Italy, when Europe was
intent on squelching Napoléon’s armies and the ideals of liberté, égalité, and fraternité.
When Verdi died, the third and final monarch of the Kingdom of Italy
reigned, and socialism was spreading in Europe.

Verdi is
considered with Richard Wagner the most influential composer of operas of the
nineteenth century, and he dominated the Italian scene after Bellini, Donizetti
and Rossini. His works are frequently performed in opera houses throughout the
world and, transcending the boundaries of the genre, some of his themes have
long since taken root in popular culture, as “La donna è mobile” from
Rigoletto, “Libiamo ne’ lieti calici” (The Drinking Song) from La traviata,
“Va, pensiero” (The Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves) from Nabucco, the “Coro di
zingari” from Il trovatore and the “Grand March” from Aida.

Moved by the
death of compatriot Alessandro Manzoni, Verdi wrote in 1874 the “Requiem Mass”
in his honour, regarded as a masterpiece of the oratorio tradition and a
testimony to his capacity outside the field of opera. Visionary and politically
engaged, he remains – alongside Garibaldi and Cavour – an emblematic figure of
the reunification process of the Italian peninsula (the Risorgimento).

As Mary Jane
Phillips-Matz says in her book, 'Verdi: A Biography': - "To the world, as to the
nation he helped to found, Verdi left an enduring legacy of music, charity,
patriotism, honour, grace, and reason. He was and remains a mighty force for
continuing good."

“Let’s face it,
a nice creamy chocolate cake does a lot for a lot of people; it does for me.” - Audrey Hepburn

I know that I
advocate healthful eating on this blog, and also the benefits of vegetarianism.
However, I also must say that even more important is the tenet: “Moderation in
all things” rather than an extreme approach to healthful nutrition (that is, orthorexia
= a morbid adherence to a healthful diet, so much so that it interferes with a
normal, sane life). Instead of no alcohol whatsoever, have a little alcohol – a
standard glass of wine, with food three meals a week with a no alcohol day in
between the alcohol days. Rather than no sugar at all or no desserts at all,
moderate servings, e.g. a small slice of cake when there is a particularly nice
one available! If you are not a vegan (which is rather extreme), then aim for
some animal protein in your diet once a week: Lean red meat, chicken or fish.

A balanced diet
is important, with lots of fresh, seasonal produce, complex carbohydrates, raw
foods – plenty of salads and fruit, lots of pulses, whole grains, olive oil,
dairy (especially things like yoghurt and cheese in moderation). This regimen
allows you to have a treat now and then and occasionally even go on a splurge
like enjoying a very special dinner out or a special dinner party.

MethodPreheat oven to
180°C. Brush a deep 22cm round cake pan with the melted butter or margarine to
grease and then line the base with non-stick baking paper.Sift cocoa
powder into a bowl. Gradually add almost all the water, stirring to form a
smooth, thick paste. Stir in remaining water. Set aside.Use electric
beaters to beat the butter, sugar and vanilla essence in a medium mixing bowl
for 1-2 minutes or until pale. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after
each addition until combined,Sift together
the flours. Use a large metal spoon to fold the flours into the butter mixture
alternately with the cocoa mixture, in 2 batches each, until well combined.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake pan and smooth the surface with the
back of the spoon.Bake in
preheated oven for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the
cake comes out clean. Stand for 3 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack
to cool.

Cut the cake
carefully, horizontally into two halves.

To make the
icing, melt the butter and chocolate in a good-sized bowl either in the
microwave or suspended over a pan of simmering water. Go slowly either way so
the chocolate doesn’t spoil.While the
chocolate and butter are cooling a little, sieve the icing sugar into another
bowl.Add the golden
syrup to the cooled chocolate mixture, followed by the cream and vanilla and
then when all this is combined whisk in the sieved icing sugar.When you’re
done, you may need to add a little boiling water (a teaspoon or so) or some
more icing sugar, depending on whether you need the icing to be runnier or
thicker. It should be liquid enough to coat easily, but thick enough not to
drip off.Spoon about a
third of the icing on to the centre of the cake half and spread with a knife or
spatula until you cover the top of it evenly. Sit the other cake on top, normal
way up, pressing gently to sandwich the two together.Spoon another
third of the icing on to the top of the cake and spread it in a swirly,
textured way (though you can go for a smooth finish if you prefer, and have the
patience). Spread the sides of the cake with the remaining icing and leave a
few minutes till set.

Thursday, 11 April 2013

“It is my
feeling that Time ripens all things; with Time all things are revealed; Time is
the father of truth.” - François Rabelais

A pebble thrown
into a serene pond will disrupt its quiet waters and start off a series of
ripples that will travel a great distance across the whole surface of the body
of water to eventually reach the distant shores. The perfect reflections on the
water will be fractured and the ever-widening wavelets will add another
dimension of beauty to the pond. So is the quiet life of routine that many of
us lead: A still, quiet pond where all is familiar and ordered. And then, an
unexpected event disrupts the routine, just like a pebble thrown in the pond.

The pebble that
caused ripples in my life this week was an unexpected phone call at work from a
person I had not heard from for more than 35 years – an old fellow student from
my university days. I must confess that I have not kept up with my fellow
students even though the relationships and friendships formed at the time were
quite genuine and deep. A group of us, around a dozen, completed our first
postgraduate degree together and then we nearly all went off and pursued further
study. Our paths separated, we scattered across different institutions, in
different states. I had heard of one or another of them over the years through
mutual acquaintances or on the net, however, there was no “proper” contact.

The phone call
earlier this week was quite a surprise. Its purpose was to inform me that a
reunion was being planned. This is the first such event that I have ever been
invited to and although I was quite pleased to learn of it and have no qualms
about attending it, it made me think. We were a closely-knit group for at least
two years, we had experienced a lot together and we had enjoyed some excellent
times at university, at what was our prime. All of us in our young adulthood, full
of enthusiasm, our lives ahead of us, our heads full of ideas and our hearts
light, our life full of endless possibilities. Here we are now, all of us now
at middle age, many of us contemplating retirement in the next few years. More
than three decades have intervened. We have lived the better part of our
working lives and have achieved what we have achieved, professionally. Are we
ready to confront each other’s aged selves and thus, perhaps more importantly,
acknowledge the passage of time over ourselves?

How old we feel
is sometimes incongruent with our biological age. I have caught sight of myself
in a mirror unawares and have been startled by the middle-aged man looking out
at me. Who is this stranger looking at me? Especially so if I have been
thinking young ideas at the time! Such is the nature of ageing and the passage
of time. It touches us more and more with each passing day and when we awaken
one morning we find ourselves quite old. Where has our life gone? How have the
years passed? Where did we squander all of that precious time?

It is a good
thing at such times when we reflect upon the passage of time to consider our
lives and our achievements. How time has weathered us and has ground away the
hard edges. How we have matured emotionally, spiritually, mentally – not only
biologically. The success of this self-evaluation, is the consideration of our
advancing age and diminishing years we look forward to, contrasted with our
increased experience and wisdom. We live and gain each day something new to be
added to our storehouse of memories, experiences, knowledge and personal inner
space. Life is a wonderful gift and we should learn to appreciate it every
living moment. The older we become the more precious is this gift of life. I
look forward to seeing my old fellow students at the planned reunion because I
will acknowledge not only the richness of their past lives, but I will also re-examine
my own life and acknowledge its enrichment as time has washed over it.

I was in Sydney for work and the trip was quite eventful, full of non-stop appointments, meetings and working parties. Having just got home, I’ve checked my emails and I think I’ll have an early night tonight. Travelling for work certainly is hard work and the travel part of it quickly loses its mystique!

At least the trip went well and my two travel companions supported me well. Overall success of a work trip makes the travel worthwhile and the discomforts one experiences bearable.

Monday, 8 April 2013

“Come away, O
human child: To the waters and the wild with a fairy, hand in hand, For the
world’s more full of weeping than you can understand.” - William Butler Yeats

We watched a
rather depressing movie at the weekend. It was Joe Carnahan’s 2011 “The Grey” starring Liam Neeson, Dermot Mulroney and Frank Grillo. The screenplay was by Joe
Carnahan and Ian Mackenzie Jeffers, based on the latter’s short story “Ghost
Walker”. The film is very similar to several others we have watched in terms of
its basic plot and exposition, this being essentially a group of people
trekking across a natural wilderness full of dangers overt and hidden,
desperately trying to survive. As such a tale, the film doesn’t really measure
up too favourably with pre-existing movies that have done it better… For
example, “The Way Back”;
“Rabbit-Proof Fence”;
“Deliverance”;
“Alive”;
“The Flight of the Phoenix”,
and many many more.

The plot of “The
Grey” is set in the wilds of Alaska, where a team of oil workers board a flight
a plane to take them home (this may explain the constant stream of expletives
used through the movie too). Unfortunately for them, a wild storm develops and
their airplane crashes. Only seven workers survive in the freezing, uninhabited
wastes and John Ottway (Neeson), who is a huntsman that normally kills wolves
to protect the workers at the oil plant, assumes leadership of the group. While
they try to hatch a plan for survival and escape to a settlement, they become
aware that they are surrounded by a large pack of wolves. They seek protection
in the woods some distance off, however, the wolves follow them intent on
killing them. Warning, there are some graphically violent scenes of animal
against human in this movie!

The film
examines several themes: Man against nature; the idea of death and how we each become
resigned to our own mortality; faith; companionship and friendship in the face
of adversity; leadership and the way that we need each other in order to have a
chance of survival. The movie is quite ambitious, but perhaps it tries to do
too much with too little material and then even succumbs to supernatural
overtones through the representation of the wolves as vengeful killing machines
that will not let their human prey escape, their motivation being “revenge”.

Neeson (but also
the rest of the cast) play their roles well, working within the limitations of
the script. The cinematography is good and the frozen expanses work well. What
CGI and animatronics effects are used are used well. This is Hollywood at its
usual technically competent best. However, this is not enough to make a
satisfying movie. The ending especially was particularly lame and made one
question the point of the movie, as it struck a rather nihilistic note.

We were engaged
by the movie up to a point. Midway through its rather long 117 minute length,
we started to get a little restless and there was some repetition. Watch the
movie if you come up against it and you are in that “what-are-we-humans-we-are
nothing” philosophical frame mind. However, I wouldn’t recommend going out to
search especially for this movie to watch.

Sunday, 7 April 2013

“Every portrait that is painted with feeling is a portrait of the artist, not of the sitter.” - Oscar Wilde

Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino (March 28, 1483 – April 6, 1520), known simply as Raphael, was an Italian painter. Together with Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, he forms the triumvirate of great masters of the High Renaissance period of Italy. Raphael was especially noted for the grace and beauty of his paintings and became a model for this high renaissance style of art.

Raphael was born in the Italian city of Urbino in the Marches area of Italy. His father was a court painter and Raphael followed in his father’s footsteps, achieving a wide education in the arts, literature, and social skills. This enabled Raphael to move easily amongst the higher circles of court society and useful in advancing his career in gaining artistic commissions. The elegant and highly decorative style of Raphael contrasted with the more eccentric genius of Michelangelo. Michelangelo, arguably came to be the more revered artist, but, he certainly lacked the refinement of Raphael in dealing with others and unlike Raphael often found himself in dispute with his customers…

By the age of 18 years, Raphael was already considered a Master painter with considerable talent. He gained his first commissions, including the Mond Crucifixion in 1503. From about 1504, Raphael spent considerable time in Florence where he was influenced by the explosive artistic culture of the City. As he was the contemporary of Leonardo and Michelangelo he had plenty of opportunity to interact with these and other major artists. Michelangelo had a terrible temper and had the habit of easily falling out with other artists – Raphael proved to be no exception. Whilst Raphael absorbed the Florentine artistic tradition he was experiencing, his talent was more attuned to the classic form of perfection in form and composition. This was a somewhat different direction to the flair, inventiveness and genius of Leonardo and Michelangelo.

After Michelangelo had completed the Sistine Chapel, he complained that Raphael had even gone as far as “plagiarising his work”, though this was not the case. This can be seen to be a back-handed compliment where Michelangelo acknowledged Raphael’s genius. Raphael’s career blossomed and in 1508 he was invited to Rome by Pope Julius II. Whilst Michelangelo was working on the Sistine Chapel, Raphael was given rooms in the Vatican to paint. The rooms that he painted were considered some of the greatest Italian art on display. The first room known as the Stanza della Segnatura included the masterpieces – “The School of Athens”, “The Parnassus” and the “Dispute”.

By 1511 Raphael had one of the largest art schools in Rome, with over 50 pupils. It is said Raphael was not just a genius of art but also excellent at managing and inspiring his pupils, helping the school become a famous place of art. As well as a painter, Raphael was also a noted architect, draughtsman, and with Raimondi a printmaker. He died in April 6 1570, aged only 37. Yet, he left behind a considerable legacy and was celebrated even during his lifetime, with thousands of people attending his funeral.

Raphael’s life was short, but while he lived he was one of those geniuses who continually evolve and develop. He had an extraordinary capacity (like, though greater than, Picasso’s) to respond to every movement in the art world, and to subsume it within his own work. As a portraitist, Raphael is an observer, effortlessly cutting through the defences of his sitter, yet courteously allowing whatever image the sitter’s ego would seek to have portrayed. This represents a duality, looking beneath the surface and yet remaining wholly respectful of the surface, gives an additional layer of meaning to all his portraits. The two portraits shown here were both believed to be self-portraits of Raphael. We now know that one is of Bindo Altoviti (c. 1515) and the other is definitely a self-portrait (1504-06).

There is a congruency between these two portraits, but they are also quite different. Although the poses are in counterpoint, Raphael’s earlier self portrait is rather stark and honest, where the artist has stripped himself down to the essentials, the eyes looking at the observer serenely yet searchingly. “This is me and this is how I look at the world”, Raphael pronounces.

Bindo Altoviti was handsome, a successful banker, and rich: Not unlike Raphael himself, in his later years. Although there is a feeling of fellowship in the work, the sitter’s face is sensitively fleshed out and the technical proficiency of the artist is laid out for us. Half the face is in shadow, as if to allow the sitter his mystery, his maturing, his own destiny. The lips are full and sensual, balanced by the deep-set eyes with their confrontational stare, almost defiant. The ruffled shirt is half-covered by the young man’s locks, calculatedly casual, at odds in their dandyish profusion with the plain beret and the rich but simple doublet. He holds a darkened hand dramatically to his breast, maybe to show off the ring, maybe to indicate psychic ease. This is a more accomplished work, complimentary to the sitter and well-suited for ostentatious display, while at the same time retaining the precepts of classic beauty and understated simplicity.

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WELCOME

Welcome to Nicholas V's Blog on Blogger

I have been blogging daily on this platform for several years now. It is surprising that I have persisted as the world is changing and "microblogging" is now the norm. I blog to amuse myself, make comment on current affairs, externalise some of my creativity, keep notes on things that interest me, learn something new and to surprise myself with things that I discover about this wonderful, and sometimes crazy, world we live in.

I sometimes get the impression that I am on a soapbox delivering a monologue, so your comments are welcome.